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NARRATIVE OF THE LOSS OF 

WHALING BRIG 

* 

WILLIAM AND JOSEPH, 


OF MARTHA’S VINEYARD, 


AND THE SUFFERINGS OF HER CREW FOR SEVEN DAYS, A FART OF THE 
TIME ON A RAFT IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN } WITH AN 


APPENDIX, 


CONTAINING SOME REMARKS ON THE WHALING BUSINESS, AND DESCRIP¬ 
TIONS OF THE MODE OF KILLING AND TAKING CARE OF W'HALES. 


1 / 

WITH PLATE S', 


DESCRIPTIVE OF SOME OF THE PRINCIPAL SCENESi 


BY ELISHA DEXTER, MASTER. 

• • 


SECOND EDITION, ENLARGED AND IMPROVED, 

BOSTON: 

CHARLES C. MEAD, PRINTER, 4 STATE STREET, 

1 8 4 8 . 










Q 5 3(J 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year eighteen hundred and 
forty-eight, by Elisha Dexter, in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court 
of the District of Massachusetts. 







3 


ADVERTISEMENT 

TO THE SECOND EDITION. 


As but a small number of the first edition of this Narrative was 
printed, and its circulation therefore necessarily limited, I have been 
induced, by some of my friends, to get up this second edition,—the 
demand being so great,—and in doing which I have spared no pains 
to have it as accurate as possible. The whole has been rewritten and 
greatly improved. Some incidents omitted in the first edition, have 
been inserted in this. Much valuable and additional information has 
also been incorporated with the Appendix. I flatter myself that the 
whole of is of a character to render it acceptable to the reading public; 
and especially as it is aiforded at the extremely low price of the former 
edition ; and which I hope to offer, by the increased patronage of those 
who believe that “truth is stranger than fiction**; and which fact they 
will see most fully demonstrated in this Narrative. The Appendix 
alone is worth the price of the book. 

ELISHA DEXTER 


Holmes’ Hole, April, 1848. 




4 


TRANSCRIPT OP SHIPPING PAPER OF 

BRIG WILLIAM AND JOSEPH. 


ELISHA DEXTER, Holmes’ Hole, Master. 


BENJAMIN MERRY, do. 
GERSHOM DUNHAM, do. 
PETER DILLINGHAM, do. 
CHAS. DILLINGHAM, do. 
CHARLES MULLEN, Philadelphia 


Chief Mate. 

Second Mate, died. 
Boat Steerer. 

do. 

, do. 


FRANCIS COTTLE, Holmes’ Hole, Ship Keeper, drowned 


WILLIAM T. WEST, do. Foremast Hand. 


GEORGE SYLVA, Fayal, 


do. 

ABRAHAM HUDDESTER, Baltimore, 

do. 

WILLIAM ARMSTRONG, New York, 

do. 

JAMES WALKER, 

do 

do. 

HOSEA GOODSPEED, Hudson 

i, N. Y., 

do. 

WILLIAM CRAFT, Albany, 

do. 

do. 

JAMES McGUIRE, do. 

do. 

do. 

JOHN GROTTON, do. 

do. 

do. 

JAMES GOODRICH, do. 

do. 

do. 


SYLVESTER DAYLEY, Worcester, Mass., Steward, drowned 
JOHN FRANCIS, New Haven, Conn., Cook. 



NARRATIVE. 


CHAPTER i. 

On the 2d August, 1840, I put to sea in the brig 
William and Joseph, of Holmes’ Hole, in pursuit of 
sperm whales. My crew, at that time, consisted of six¬ 
teen men, being two full boats’ crews, and officers for a 
third boat. Five more men, to complete the crew of 
the third boat, were to be procured at the Western 
Islands. For the first part of the passage the weather 
was rather bad, with strong gales from S. and S. S. W., 
bringing us under double-reefed topsails and courses, 
and causing the brig to leak considerably. But when 
we had gained the longitude of 50° W. the weather 
became more pleasant, and the gale abated, though 
there remained a heavy swell from the S. S. W., caused 
by the recent high wind. There had been a number of 
vessels in sight, though we had spoken none. Our 
course was about S. E. by S., and we stood in that 
direction till the 2-5th of the month. On the morning 
of that day, a little before sunrise, it being entirely calm, 
I saw upon the tafferel, upon which I had stepped for 
observation, a small breach in the water, w hich I judged 
to be that of sperm whales,—and such they proved. 
They were going at a quick rate, toward the southeast. 



6 


I sent off the larboard and waist boats, (see Cut ,) in 
pursuit of the fugitives, and about 6J o’clock they came 
up with them. We were fortunate enough to obtain 
three. A light breeze springing up from the S. W., we 
took the brig down to the whales, got them along side, 
and by 7 o’clock in the evening we had them safe and 
snug in the blubber-room. At 5 o’clock the next morn¬ 
ing we commenced trying out. They were what we 
called “school whales,”—very small fish,—the three mak¬ 
ing only thirty-eight and a half barrels. We continued 
standing to the E. under easy sail, the weather very fine, 
and our hopes very high ; the eyes of all continually 
strained in anxious gaze for the prey the whaler covets. 
On the 28th we saw a number of large whales, but their 
legs were longer than ours, and they escaped us. 

On the 2d of September we ran into Fayal, one 
of the Western Islands, or Azores, for the required 
complement of men, and for the purpose of obtaining 
the usual supply of vegetables, which are there very 
cheap. These islands, which belong to Portugal, lie 
between 37° and 39° N. latitude, and 25° and 31° W. 
longitude. The description of one of them will nearly 
answer for the whole. The soil, climate, and the char¬ 
acter of the inhabitants are much the same in all of 
them. 

They have a very fine climate. From the middle of 
May, to the middle of September, the weather is very 
bland and delightful, the prevailing winds being from 
S. W. to W. N. W.; the first named being the strongest 
wind, and that which chiefly prevails during this period. 
The southerly winds, as they take nearly the whole 
sweep of the Atlantic, bring the most rain ; and the 
easterly winds, as they come from the continent of Eu¬ 
rope, bring the finest weather. These winds bring the 
halcyon days of these sunny isles. The sea is then 
smooth and delightful. Fayal has the finest harbor of 
any of these islands. It is safe from all winds except 
those from N. E, to S. E., which blow directly in,-—. 





















































































































































































































































































































































I • 






































9 


consequently it is dangerous lying there with heavy winds 
from those quarters. They are, however, but little vis¬ 
ited during the windy months. 

The soil of these islands is very fertile, producing 
abundance of grapes, oranges, vegetables, and Indian 
corn. They use no manure, except a weed about a foot 
and a half high, full of leaves and sap, which they turn 
under the soil, as clover and buckwheat are elsewhere, as 
a dressing for their crops. Prices are usually as follows : 
potatoes, 25 cents per bushel ; onions, 33 cents per 
bushel; cabbages, 6 cents per dozen ; oranges, one dol¬ 
lar per hundred; eggs, 10 cents per dozen; pumpkins, 
25 cents per dozen; and beef, from 5 to 6 cents per lb. 

Ships usually procure their supplies through the agency 
of Mr. Dabney, the American consul, who obtains, what 
is not to be had at Fayal, from Pico and Flores, two 
neighboring islands, which are separated from the former 
by a channel. The quantity taken is usually about 150 
bushels of potatoes, and 75 bushels of onions, and other 
articles in proportion, for each ship. The oil taken by 
outward-bound ships, is usually left at this place, in 
charge of Mr. Dabney. The fleet of 1839 landed nearly 
6000 barrels of sperm oil. The oil is landed from the 
ships in large boats; a task which is performed with 
great ease. 

The scenery of these islands is also very beautiful. 
As you sail by- them, at the distance of two or three 
miles, in the season when the orange groves are in full 
bloom, and the fields green and verdant, nothing can be 
more picturesque and delightful than their appearance. 
The contrast exhibited by the lofty mountains and the 
deep valleys, is grand and striking. They are, indeed, 
a perfect paradise ; and are extensively known as one of 
the best residences for invalids on the globe. 

Among the most interesting and delightful objects to 
be seen here, are the gardens of Mr. Dabney, of which 
he has two,—that adjoining his house being chiefly orna¬ 
mental, and the other, which is a mile distant, being 
1 * 


10 


devoted to the raising of produce. The ornamental 
garden has many fruit trees, and a great variety and 
abundance of all kinds of flowers, which will grow in 
that climate, which, from its temperature, must be nearly 
those of all climates on the globe. It is laid out with 
beautifully gravelled walks, trimmed with box, and is a 
most splendid garden. The other contains fifty acres, 
and has a fine observatory, from which there is an ex¬ 
tensive view of the surrounding country, together with 
the sea-board. In this garden are raised all kinds of 
vegetables and pines, together with the earlier and bet¬ 
ter kinds of oranges. The wall which surrounds it, is, 
perhaps, the most curious thing about it. As there is 
no stone on the surface of the ground larger than a pea, 
he has gone four feet below the soil to obtain it. He 
has there found an abundance of porous stone, with 
which he has constructed it. As labor is very cheap, 
(only a shilling a day,) it has cost him but little. 

As to the inhabitants of these islands, I speak but the 
common opinion of all who have ever visited them, when 
I say that they are a very kind and generous people. 
Any person may enter their houses, without any invita¬ 
tion whatever, and receive an apparent, and, I doubt 
not, an actual welcome. Sometimes, with a graceful 
motion of the hand, in the skilful use of which they 
resemble the Asiatic races, they will say, “ enter.” 
When you have entered, they will sometimes present 
you with a “Jesu Christo,” which is an image of our 
Saviour, made of dough. In presenting this, they will 
kiss it, and you are expected to receive it with great 
veneration. It is indeed a pity that so gentle and hos¬ 
pitable a people should not possess a purer and a better 
faith. I speak now of the lower class, not having access 
to the higher. They are very partial to the Americans. 
The word “Americano,” sounds well in their ears. 

On the 3d, we came out of Fayal, and stood to the 
W. S. W. of the islands. We now saw breaches very 
frequently, which, from the ground on which we were 
















. 








. 































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































13 


then cruising, and from the characteristic marks, we 
knew must have been those of sperm whales. But we 
were not able to make any more than breaches of them. 
About the 7th we spoke a ship from Batavia, bound for 
the Mediterranean, out ninety-five days, and supplied 
with a small quantity of the produce of the islands. 

Having spoken several times of “ breeches,” I pro¬ 
pose to show my readers what they are. Many already 
know; but there is another and larger portion of the 
public who do not; and for their instruction I give the 
following description : The whale jumps out of the 
water, and when he falls into it again, the waiter flies 
into the air in the shape of an inverfed cone, or sugar- 
loaf. The height of the volume of water thus thrown 
up, of course will depend on the size of the whale, or 
rather on his weight and agility. Some, we presume, 
are better “jumpers” than others. I have seen a col¬ 
umn of water, forty feet in height, thrown up by a 
whale. Now, when it is remembered, that we constantly 
keep a man on the main-top-gallant-head, to look out, 
a height which will range from seventy to a hundred 
feet, according to the size of the vessel; it will be seen 
that we can discover the object of our search at a very 
great distance, and can judge pretty accurately the 
height of the white spray, as it is thrown up against the 
field of boundless blue in the distance. [See Cut 
opposite.] 

Seeing nothing off the Western Islands, we soon after 
left that ground, and stood into the latitude of B6° N. 
and longitude of about 24° W. We there saw three 
sperm whales; but, ns the whalemen say, we had hard 
luck. 1 will here observe, that nine-tenths of the time, 
this “ hard luck ” is nothing more nor less than bad 
management. The excuses are endless. They will 
say “ the whale did not lay right,” or “ she rolled from 
them,” or “ turned away a little too soon,” or lay “a 
little too long.” But a good whaleman may generally 
be known bv his having few excuses. If you ask him 


14 


to account for his failure, at any particular time, he will 
probably confess that it was his own fault. 

We cruised in the above-mentioned latitude and lon¬ 
gitude for some time, but saw nothing. On board of 
my vessel all things went on well. Notwithstanding 
“hard luck,” which is very apt to sour the temper of 
men, and make a ship a nursery of crabs, all was 
peace and harmony and good nature. About the time, 
however, that we were near the line, one of the men, 
whom we obtained at the islands, was heard to say, that 
if I did not use them well they intended to throw me 
overboard. But this was probably a joke. I always use 
my men well; though 1 make them do their duty, and 
know their place. 

In a whale ship “ patience and perseverance ” are the 
making of a voyage. Without them, the prospect for a 
full ship is but a poor one. And further,—be sure to 
give your men plenty to eat. Men cannot work any¬ 
where without food, and least of all, will they do it in a 
whale-ship. They must be kept in good humor or they 
will not see whales. At the longest, our years are but 
few, and the voyage of life is soon up ; and why should 
men be debarred of their food, which is the most they 
get for their labor ? 

As the season, in this latitude, was getting late for 
whaling, and there being a fine wind from the northeast, 
I thought it best to shift my ground and to run down to 
the Cape de Verd Islands, and to take a look there on 
my way further South. We made the Isle of Sal. one 
of the group, on the fifth of October, and cruised off 
and on for some days, but saw nothing save two schools 
of black fish, for which, on account of the rugged 
weather, we did not lower. 

The Cape de Verd Islands are but little more than 
barren rocks, lying about three hundred miles west of 
Cape Verd, on the African coast. Like the Western 
Islands, they belong to Portugal. Those of Sal, Mayo, 
and Bonavista, are famous for the vast quantities of salt 


15 


which are exported from them. It is made, not by boil¬ 
ing salt water in bottles, or by its evaporation in wooden 
vats, as in some parts of our own country; but in large 
shallow ponds on the shore, which are filled with the 
sea-water by the high tides; and from which, when the 
salt is made by the solar heat, it is raked into heaps and 
removed for exportation. Thus large quantities are 
made with but little labor ; and hence the extremely 
low price at which it is sold. 

St. Jago is the most fruitful of these islands ; but even 
that is very barren. They produce some dry grass,— 
enough to keep life in the donkeys and goats, but not 
flesh upon them. But little can be obtained there that 
men will eat, save when they are almost in a state of 
starvation. The months of July, August and September 
constitute the rainy season. The great rains then revive 
the herbage for a short time ; but when it is past, the 
intense heat which prevails for the remainder of the 
year, withers it all, and both man and beast are famished. 
Nothing grows there, as food for man, except a little corn 
and a few beans. I chose the harbor of St. Vincent in 
which to anchor and recruit, as it is one of the finest in 
the world, entirely land-locked, and capable of accom¬ 
modating five hundred sail at a time, in perfect security. 
I here obtained eight lean goats, for which I gave a 
barrel of flour. 

About the 13th of October, I again got underweigh, 
and put to sea, with a good breeze from the N. E. We 
ran under the lee of the Island, and being partially 
becalmed, as is usually the case near high lands, took a 
look at Bravo, one of the southwest of the group. Here 
we fell in with a Sag-Harbor ship, thirty days out, with 
ninety barrels of sperm oil, and bound to the Islands for 
hogs. From Bravo we ran out to the latitude of 7° N. 
and longitude of 27° W. 

On the 28th of October, we saw a school of small 
whales, of which we took three, and which made us 
about twenty-five barrels. I cruised thereabouts for 


16 


two weeks, but saw no more at that time. It now 
commenced raining more or less every day, and, finally, 
so hard and with so little intermission, that I began to 
think the sails would rot upon the yards. The season 
of the year threatening a continuance of rainy weather, 
I hauled out as far as 12£° N., and found a clearer sky, 
and a partial cessation of the down-pouring torrent. It 
was my intention to have staid in this latitude till the 
middle of December ; but returned, however, to my old 
cruising ground, on the first of the month. We de¬ 
scried a lone whale tl*e third day after our return,—saw 
him spout twice, “ turn flukes,” and then disappear 
forever. 

We continued cruising between the latitude of 5° and 
7J° N. from the first of December to the first of February, 
1841. During this time we saw whales thirteen times, 
and obtained i 10 barrels of oil; a part of the time the 
weather being too bad to lower the boats. On the first 
day of February, I put away for the West India islands, 
in search of whales and better weather. We had four¬ 
teen days passage to Barbadoes. Passing that island, 
we ran down past St. Lucia to the island of Dominico. 
Wanting wood and water, I put into Prince Rupert’s 
Bay, which lies on the west side of the north end of the 
island, to obtain them. We procured them, as also some 
yams, oranges and sweet potatoes. Very soon there 
came an order for us to leave, as it was not a port of 
entry, and they were fearful that we would smuggle with 
the blacks. So we weighed our anchor and ran down 
to St. Thomas, in which harbor we anchored on the 1st 
of March. Here we laid six days, to give our men a 
chance to stretch their legs. 

On the 7th of March we again put to sea, running to 
the north of the islands, so as to take a look off the 
Bahamas. On our arrival there, which was about the 
middle of the month, the ground looking very barren 
and unpromising, I became very much dissatisfied with 
the prospect, and put away for the Western Islands, 


17 


shortening sail every night. I had a very rugged pas¬ 
sage till I arrived in the latitude of 33° N. and longitude 
of 47° YV., when I had better weather. Here we ob¬ 
tained a whale, which made eleven barrels of oil. I 
cruised in this latitude awhile, but saw nothing more. 

On the first of May I put into Fayal to recruit, which, 
with the passage, occupied about two weeks. In the 
latitude of 37° N. and longitude of 31° W., I saw a 
large whale, but did not get him. Two or three schools 
of black-fish gave us some sport, together with six bar¬ 
rels of oil. Off Flores, a few days after, I saw a large 
fleet of whalemen, one of which I spoke. He was ten 
months out, with five barrels of sperm oil. I cruised 
off and on as far as 42£° N. and then from 30° to 42° 
W. longitude. Here we saw a school of whales, and 
struck two of them, but the irons drew. The next day 
we struck a large whale, but he went off with our line, 
and escaped, after a chase of sixty miles. 

I cruised about in this sea, shifting my ground as 
often as any good seemed likely to come of it, until the 
23d of September. During this time I saw whales five 
or six times, and was at Fayal two or three times for 
necessaries. About the middle of September we ob¬ 
tained a whale, which made us forty-five barrels. Were 
it not that I decried, in the early part of this narrative, 
the practice of pleading “ bad luck,” to cover misman¬ 
agement. I would plead it now, for certainly ours was 
bad luck. At this time we struck a large whale, and 
again parted the line. Two days after, we were again 
alongside of another, but the irons bent against his side 
without entering the flesh. 


18 


CHAPTER II. 

On the 23d of September we put away for home, 
with 200 barrels of sperm, and 12 barrels of black-fish 
oil; low in spirits, for this was a very inadequate recom¬ 
pense for fourteen months of hard toil and incessant 
watching. Hard fortune pursued us in another form,— 
the winds became adverse, when we expected the trades. 
For a season the winds blew from all points of the com¬ 
pass ; but presently they became more favorable, and on 
the 16th of October they were fair, and, as our provis¬ 
ions were low, we crowded all sail to get home as soon 
as possible. Our sails were now very much worn, and 
had become so poor that they were hardly fit to set. 
However, we kept her going, the wind being southeast. 

Gradually the wind kept hauling, as well as steadily 
increasing, until it became a strong breeze at the south. 
The morning of the 20th opened upon us with the wind, 
by compass, S. by VY., and blowing fresh, though not 
so fresh as to prevent us from carrying all sail till sun¬ 
set. The sky, which w^as cloudless in the morning, 
began to be overcast about noon. The wind kept 
steadily increasing, and the flaws became stronger and 
more frequent. A dark cloud seemed gathering in the 
northwest. Still we had no suspicion, from any sign in 
the weather, that a terrible disaster was at hand. Surely 
“ we know not what a day may bring forth.” 

About sunset, my ship-keeper, Mr. Francis Cottle, 
came to me and observed that we should have a fine 
night, as the sun was shining through the clouds. I 
thought the same myself. However, as it looked wild 
and lowry, between sunset and dark, 1 ordered sail to 
be taken in, bringing her from all sail set to a two-reefed 


19 


main-topsail, a single-reefed fore-topsail, whole foresail 
and fore-topmast staysail. Under this sail we ran before 
the wind, making good weather of it. About 12 o’clock 
at night, my second mate, Mr. Dunham, came below, 
and reported that the flaws of wind came stronger, and 
gave his opinion that the fore-topsail should be taken in. 
I had been trying to sleep, but without success, for I 
felt an indefinable sense of approaching danger,—a dread 
of something, I know not exactly what. So, being fully 
awake, and entirely prepared, I very quickly hurried on 
deck, and told the second mate that we would take in 
the fore-topsail between the flaws, which we succeeded 
in doing. The flaws now came increasingly fast; but 
still, the brig being a good sea-boat, was very easy, and 
I saw nothing to especially alarm us. There was quite 
a long sea on, and once iu a while it would break—the 
crest of the sea running into foam. If I remember 
rightly, I staid on deck till the larboard, or chief mate’s 
watch w r as called, which was 3 o’clock. I gave the 
chief mate directions to call me, if it should blow harder, 
and then went below. 

At 4 o’clock in the morning, of the 21st, the chief 
mate came below, and said that the gale still increased, 
I directed him to call all hands, and immediately hurried 
on deck. All hands came up. It was now my aim to 
get an opportunity, between the flaws, to take in the 
main-topsail, which we were enabled to do, leaving her 
to run under the foresail. Suddenly the gale increased, 
so fast, that I directed the foresail to be hauled up and 
furled as soon as possible. As they let go the tack of 
the sail, both of the clew-garnets, being old and rotten, 
parted, the weather one first, and then the lee one. At 
the same moment there came a bad flaw of wind, and 
the foresail went into ribbons in the twinkling of an eye. 
Our fore-top-mast-staysail was also blown away at the 
same time. 

In this dilemma I resolved to put on the trysail, to 
keep her to the wind. The wind had somewhat mod- 


20 


erated, and had also hauled two or three points, so as 
to be S. W. by S. As we were hoisting up the sail, 
and had gotten it about half way up, a squall from W. 
S. W. struck us, and blew tremendously hard. It 
seemed as though the whole air had burst into one wild, 
roaring wind. In the whole course of twenty-six years 
service on the ocean, I never before saw the like. This 
squall immediately knocked the brig about one third 
over. She would easily have recovered herself from 
this, and righted ; but another, and another, and another 
squall, each fiercer than that preceding it, came in a 
moment of time, and over she went, keel out, and masts 
under. [See Cut opposite.] 

Such a scene as then presented itself, I never before 
witnessed ! It was as dark as night could be,—pitchy 
darkness,—relieved only by occasional sheets of white 
foam, while the wind moaned and howled terribly, and 
the sea ran mountains high. “Oh my God ! my God !” 
was now heard from every part of the wreck ; and not 
the faintest cries for help from those who had cursed 
and derided their Maker for the whole voyage. Give 
me a rope, or I shall drown,” exclaimed one. “ Save 
me! save me!” cried another, in the greatest distress, 
and in the most piteous tones. But at such a time each 
man is for himself. He cannot well help his neighbor. 
The cries for succor were therefore unattended to. 
Each man was thinking only of himself, and fearful of 
letting go his hold, lest he should be precipitated into 
the deep, which was raging around him. The love of 
life is very strong. “All that a man hath will he give 
for his life.” It is worthy of remark, as a proof of the 
existence of a power above us, and of man’s need of 
His help, in extremities, that when in great distress and 
their utter helplessness is made apparent, men, who, 
apparently, never reverentially thought of their Maker, 
will at once exclaim, “Oh my God ! ” and call lustily 
for His assistance. 

When the brig capsized, I was standing by the cabin 












































































































u 





\ 










23 


gangway, holding on to a rope which the chief mate 
had made fast to the rail, in the early part of the night, 
to hold on by, if need be. I was so encumbered by a 
heavy pea-jacket, that if I had been thrown into the sea 
I could not have swum, and must have been drowned. 
However, by the help of the steward, I managed to get 
it off, so as to feel quite safe from the prospect of being 
drowned. For some minutes the sea made a clean 
breach over me. At one moment I was immersed in 
its depths, and then would emerge, for a second, until I 
thought that I should be choked with the water. But 
God took care of me, and of most the rest of us, so that 
we might believe in His gracious providences. 

Mr. Cottle, the ship-keeper, John Mullen, one of 
the boat-steerers, together with the steward, having, for 
greater security, crept up to windward, under the lee of 
the quarter boat, a violent squall again struck us, and 
immediately took the boat off the cranes, as though she had 
been a feather, and knocked all three of them overboard. 
Only one, Mullen, succeeded in regaining the vessel. 

-The two others sunk to rise no more. The unfortu¬ 
nate steward was a colored man ; and Mr. Cottle was a 
native of the Vineyard, where he left a wife and family 
to mourn his sudden and melancholy death. The two 
other boats had been carried away when the brig was 
first knocked down. 

What thoughts of country, home, family, and friends ; 
of the events of our past lives, and the dismal prospects 
of the future, now rushed into our minds. Years were 
now concentrated in a few moments. Our situation 
was distressing in the extreme. Our gladsome hopes of 
home, which we were rapidly approaching, suddenly, 
almost in the twinkling of an eye, were dashed beneath 
the sea, and washed away by its raging flood, while some 
of our helpless and unhappy shipmates were perishing 
around us, and we could afford them no assistance ! 

For some minutes I knew not what had become of 
the crew. The brig lay upon her beam ends about ten 


24 


minutes, and then righted, full of water, both masts gone 
by the deck, and bowsprit broken by the night-heads. 
But for this even we were thankful. When the survi¬ 
vors mustered on the quarter-deck, we found that two 
only, the ship-keeper and steward, before mentioned, 
were missing. 

It was now broad day-light. We were lying in the 
trough of the sea, and the waves were continually 
breaking over us. We were compelled to hold on the 
larboard rail with all our might, to prevent ourselves 
from being swept off by the wind and sea, and in doing 
which I got my hand between the rail and main-yard, 
which had been lashed down to the rail, and it was so 
badly bruised that it did not get well until after I arrived 
at home. 

Such a night as the past, I had never witnessed before. 
The faces of the crew (poor fellows) were filled with 
despair. They seemed chilled and hopeless, not know¬ 
ing what to do, and yet anxious to do something. Even 
the poor dog seemed fully to comprehend our distressing 
situation, and with a look of despair whined piteously. 
Here was an unmanageable hulk, in the midst of the 
broad and angry ocean, her hold full of water, and the 
sea making a clean breach over her. Our minds could 
settle down upon nothing. With the greatest part of 
my crew this was their first voyage ; and it will be 
allowed that this was poor encouragement for them to 
persevere in a sea-faring life. And yet, so prone are 
men to forget disaster, and most of all, marine disaster, 
that I will presume to say, that the greater part of them 
were off again within two months. One, I know, re¬ 
mained at home, after his arrival, but just one week. 

About sunrise the wind began to die fast away, and 
4 o’clock in the afternoon—what a change ! One could 
scarce believe that the whole had not been a dream. 
Man is bound to persevere, while life lasts, and to make 
the best of every thing. So the first thing we did, after 
the gale abated, was to fish up whatever things we could 




25 


that were floating in the cabin. We first got the brig’s 
ensign, which served us for a signal of distress, and was 
a fortunate prize. Next, our chests ; but the contents of 
them were all washed out, except the second mate’s, 
which was fortunately locked. Next, the drawer of our 
table, with a hatchet in it, which, although unground, 
was very serviceable to us. We also saved two of our 
cutting spades, and with them we commenced cutting 
holes in the deck. This gave us employment, keeping 
us, by turns, busy and active. We soon hauled out a 
barrel of flour, but the water, to make it of use, was 
wanting. 

The deck now soon began to rise, by reason of the 
casks in the hold being pressed against it by the water 
within ; first starting up at the larboard water-way-seam 
amidships, the seam growing wider and wider every 
moment. It now occurred to my mind to lash our spars 
together, to form a raft, upon which to save ourselves 
when the^deck should part from the body of the vessel. 
We had a spare main-yard, top-mast, and try-sail-mast, 
and of these we made a triangle, which, when finished, 
perhaps might be the means of saving us. 

We now began to feel very much the want of water. 
We had nothing to eat except the above mentioned dry 
flour, which, without water, could not be converted into 
food. Hunger had not taken sharply hold of us as yet; 
but eighteen hours having elapsed since our last meal. 
In the afternoon we also hauled up an old topsail from 
the after-hold, with which, the next day, we made an 
awning to protect ourselves from the night air. 

About 12 o’clock we saw a ship dead to windward of 
us, about half mast up. We kept our eyes constantly 
fixed upon her, in hopes that she would drift down to 
us, as she was under short sail, and wearing ship occa¬ 
sionally. By 4 o’clock she was fully in sight; and we 
discovered that her fore-top-mast had been carried away, 
probably in the gale of the preceding night, by which 
we had been wrecked. We anxiously watched her till 
2 



26 


night closed in, which shut her out from our view before 
she could see us ; so that we saw no more of her, and 
thus were bitterly disappointed of our hopes of relief. 

The first night after we were wrecked was passed in 
dreary wakefulness. Fearing that the brig would go 
down in the course of the night, we tried to sleep on 
the spars which formed the triangle intended for the 
raft. But 

“Tired nature's sweet restorer, balmy sleep, 

Which comes to all, came not to us.” 

Sleep fled frcm our eyes. Our anxious look-out for a 
vessel to rescue us from our most perilous situation, kept 
us awake the whole night. We kept watch, three and 
three, to make sure that no vessel should pass us. But 
even if we had been disposed to have slept, we should 
have been prevented by the unceasing noise made by 
the surging of the casks in the hold, and their continual 
knocking against each other and against the deck. 
The bright, full moon infused a little cheerfulness into 
us, yet it was a truly uncomfortable night, though nothing 
to those that followed. 

The morning of the 22d at last came, but brought 
with it nothing to cheer us. Nothing was to be seen in 
the broad expanse of ocean but our poor, helpless selves. 
The air was now bland and the sea smooth ; but hunger 
and thirst began to make known their imperative wants. 
The casks began to work out of the fore-hatchway, but 
there was not one amongst them containing fresh water. 
Our fresh water having been all vented to keep it sweet, 
had become so impregnated with the salt water, that it 
was no better than that alongside. One four-barrelled 
cask of water, however, was not so salt as that of the 
ocean,—perhaps in the proportion of one part of fresh 
to three of salt. But even this was thus rendered 
unavailable. We now remarked to each other, that if 
we could get the barrel of molasses, we should fare 
sumptuously; when behold, to our great joy, out it 


27 


came. But, alas! we were again doomed to a most bit* 
ter disappointment. The molasses had been displaced 
by the briny element. Some attempted to eat the dry 
flour but could not. We were now in strength and dis¬ 
position reduced to mere children ; but we thought that 
if we could get a little fresh water we should again be 
men. Our misery was, indeed, great upon us. For 
myself, I did nothing,—was able to do nothing. The 
thinking fell to my share ; but I was as incompetent to 
perform mental, as manual labor. Those best disposed 
and most willing to labor were able to do but little, there 
being no tools with which to work, but the hatchet 
without an edge, and a small bar of iron about two feet 
long. We could drive spikes, with which to strengthen 
our raft, however, with these tools, whenever we could 
obtain any to drive. 

But whatever may be the circumstances in which you 
are placed, of one thing you may be assured—time will 
keep moving. But the day passed wearily away. We 
found a sixty-gallon cask of corn, which was nearly 
destroyed by the bugs. A small portion of this was 
eaten ; but the want of fresh water to wash it down, 
finally compelled us to give it up. When hunger and 
thirst exist together, the former cannot be easily satisfied 
alone. Thirst is the most imperious in its demands. 

As the night came on, we all gathered under the old 
sail, our hearts saddened by the awfully dreary prospect 
that was before us. Hunger and thirst now assailed us 
in their most formidable shapes. But as great as our 
hunger had become, it was nothing compared to our 
thirst; the rage of which had become unspeakably in¬ 
tense. We had often before doubted the praises of cold 
water, as sung by the devotees of temperance,—but 
never since that dismal night of sorrow. If any others 
have doubts on this point, we most sincerely hope that 
they may never be subjected to a similar mode of con¬ 
viction. Our tongues were as dry as chips. If we had 
had water, we should, probably, have felt the pangs of 


28 


lounger more keenly. But all our wishes were now 
merged in water, water, water! This second night 
we set the watch as before, and all of us got more or 
less sleep. ^ 

On the'morning of the 23d there was a brig in sight, 
nearly hull up, but she did not see us. We now went 
to work clearing away the broken masts and spars, sav¬ 
ing every thing which could be of any use to us. Three 
of our men, also, now set about making a small raft out 
of the fore-top-gallant-mast and pieces of the fore and 
main-top-masts, spiking some and lashing others. Upon 
this raft they rigged a small mast and sail, intending to 
use it to cut off any vessel that might pass. But she 
must have been a dull vessel which this sailing raft could 
cut off, for its speed could never have been more than a 
mile an hour. I did.not like the plan, as I thought it 
could be of no use whatever ; and further, I judged that 
it would be wiser to use all our materials in the con¬ 
struction of one raft, capable of sustaining the whole 
crew. And yet, I will candidly confess it as my opin¬ 
ion, that this little raft was, under God, the means of 
saving my own life, as also the lives of all on the large 
raft. 

We spent this day in search of food and water. A 
cask of bread was found, but the want of water ren¬ 
dered this also useless. I could not swallow a mouthful, 
but there were some who did ; and to them it was some 
relief. For myself, I thought of nothing but water. 
The men drank of the mixed water I have spoken of. 
The cook also mixed some of it with flour, and passed 
the dough it made around to the men. The only way 
in which I could eat mine, was to make it into pills, 
about the size of those we buy of apothecaries, and then 
swallow them just as we do pills ; though even this could 
not be done until saliva enough had been formed to 
assist the organs of deglutition. T found, in accordance 
with the opinion of Dr. Franklin, that wetting myself in 
salt water somewhat assuaged my thirst. 


29 


Another night, cold and cheerless, came; and the 
morning of the 24th beamed on the same helpless and 
despairing men. I now saw indications that the brig 
would soon sink from under us. The remnant of the 
deck was coming up, and the casks which had sup¬ 
ported her were washing out. While the others searched 
for water, myself, the mate, and two men, commenced 
working on the raft, covering it with a portion of the 
deck, which had come up, together with boards, which 
washed out of the hold. We constructed it with all 
possible care, putting on new and additional lashings, 
and spiking all solidly down ; so that, in the course of 
the day, we had constructed a pretty good raft. The 
last thing I did was to rig up a mast upon which to set 
our signal of distress. The other gang, which was at 
work searching for water, sought but in vain. We were 
now so weak, by reason of continual watching and fast¬ 
ing, that the whole gang performed, in a whole day, less 
labor than two of us, before the disaster, could have 
performed in two hours. 

As night was now fast coming on, we divided the old 
sail amongst us for a covering, and lay down utterly 
prostrated by hunger and exhaustion. The raft was 
laid upon the quarter deck, with nothing to keep it 
down, so that if the brig should sink in the course of 
the night, the raft would safely float. There being a 
strong breeze from the north, it was too cold for us to 
sleep much; but we got through the night as well as we 
could. 

An incident occurred during this night, which may, 
perhaps, somewhat perplex the unbeliever in the pro¬ 
phetic character of dreams. I stop not to explain the 
philosophy of this fact. 1 leave it for those to whom 
no mist is impenetrable—no millstone opaque.” Being 
a humble seaman merely, and one who has had to deal 
with the stern realities of human life, I go not into 
matters beyond my depth. Mr. Merry, the chief mate, 
dreamed that a ship passed close by us, and took not 


30 


the least notice of us. Immediately upon waking he 
related this dream to us ; and sure enough it literally 
came to pass. Upon the first dawn of day, on the 25th, 
it being the second mate’s watch, he caught sight of an 
object a little north of the gray light, jyhich appears at 
that time in the morning. At first he thought it a cloud ; 
but as it came down he was not long in discovering it to 
be a ship standing to the south. Immediately he sang 
out “ Sail, ho!—sail, ho !” and in a moment all hands 
were up, with eyes almost starting from their sockets, to 
catch a glimpse of the object which we hoped would 
bring us relief from our perilous situation. To attract 
their observation, and to cause them to notice us, we 
shouted at the tops of our voices ; rung the cabin bell, 
which we had saved; beat upon the heads of empty 
casks, &c. The ship was coming down quickly, but 
the course she was standing would carry her a mile from 
us. At this moment, two of the hands jumped upon 
the small raft, and made sail to cut her off. ( See Cut 
opposite.) As the wind was light and the sea very 
smooth, it was not unreasonable to expect that they 
would either hear or see us. They were so near, that 
we distinctly saw a man go aloft to loose the main- 
royal. She could not have been more than a mile dis¬ 
tant, and the small raft midway between the ship and 
wreck. Yet she kept on her course, apparently taking 
no notice of us, even if she saw us. How she managed 
not to see us, if that were the case, I cannot tell ; as 
the sea was not only smooth, and the sky clear, but the 
flag upon the large raft was at an elevation of full thirty 
feet, and the small raft, as before stated, not more than 
half a mile from her. Perhaps, nine persons in ten, 
would say that she did see us. But others might think 
it impossible that it should be in the nature of man to 
forsake his fellows in such an awful extremity of distress 
as this. But yet it has been done. This crime, with¬ 
out name, has been committed; and therefore it might 

































































































































































































































33 

have been in this case. But we would not judge men 
too hardly, God knoweth. 

But when she had passed away, and had clean gone 
from us, what feelings of unspeakable horror, desolation 
and lonesomeness came over us! Our hearts would 
have died within us, and hope would have fully expired, 
had we not trusted, that He who heareth prayer, and 
“ who holdeth the winds in his fists, and the water in 
the hollow of his hand/’ would not wholly forget us in 
our utter helplessness. 

The unfortunate men upon the raft had hard w r ork to 
get back again to the wreck,—dejected in spirits, and 
almost broken in heart, to again mingle with their 
unhappy shipmates, as badly off as themselves,—as the 
raft, being constructed without any reference to form, 
was very unmanageable. Besides, the men upon it had 
had nothing to eat or drink, for five days and nights, 
and their strength was but that of children. Before 
they got back again, the wind began to breeze, and the 
clouds came up from the Northwest quite fast, with 
every indication of a squall. The sea also began to 
rise in short swells, and as the deck had risen a good 
deal, the sea now washed under it, ripping 4 J up more 
and more, and driving out the casks that had not before 
moved. 

The brig now began to settle by the head, and we 
saw one principal support, and which had been our 
ocean-home for the fourteen months past, fast sinking 
under us. It was about the middle of the day when 
she commenced settling, and by the middle of the after¬ 
noon she had settled forward about tw r o feet. After¬ 
wards, as though struggling for her life, like the unfor¬ 
tunate beings whom she bore up, she came up, so that 
her bows were about level with the water, and remained 
so for a short time. Presently she began to settle for 
the last time, and w r as soon all under w r ater, except a 
small piece of her stern. 

I took with me, on the voyage, as a part of my stores, 
2 * 


34 


twenty-five silver dollars. As the brig was going from 
under us, and I kneeling in prayer to God for protection 
and succor, it occurred to me, that to preserve this trea¬ 
sure, now of less value to me than a crust of bread or 
a gill of water, was a heinous sin ; upon which I imme¬ 
diately threw it into the deep. How fraught with 
awfulness was this moment! Some were weeping, and 
others praying; and no marvel; for death, which had 
been hovering over us for five days, now seemed just 
lighting down upon, to seize us for his prey. 

From the beginning, I had resolved to take to the 
larger raft, when she went down : but from a sudden 
impulse, for which I cannot account, I now jumped 
upon the smaller one, whither another man had already 
gone. I lay alongside the wreck until the other raft 
should be clear of it, which was about 5 o’clock in the 
afternoon. Here were now twenty men afloat in the 
midst of the Atlantic Ocean, upon a few spars and 
planks, and without food or drink, of which to speak, 
for five days, but very slightly protected from the chilly 
air of night, from above, or the surging waters beneath. 
The wind was now N. N. W., and quite a heavy sea 
running, which were fast drifting us toward the south. 

During the succeeding night, the sea often broke over 
us, making us very wet and uncomfortable, although the 
water was quite warm. About 8 o’clock there came up 
a slight shower of rain. We turned our faces to wind¬ 
ward, and held out our parched and thirsty tongues, in 
order to catch a small portion of the precious liquid. I 
think that I may have obtained six drops ; and O, the 
value of even one drop of water, to a man dying of 
thirst. Small as was my draught, it proved a very sen¬ 
sible relief to my tongue, which was swollen and cracked, 
and felt like a piece of wood. The story of the rich 
man and Lazarus, (Luke xvi ; 19—31.) was continually 
before me, and especially the most earnest entreaty of 
the former, “ Send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of 
his finger in water, and cool my tongue.” 


35 


About 9 o’clock, I told Hany, the man upon the raft 
with me, that I felt disposed to lie down, and try to 
sleep, notwithstanding the sea was continually washing 
over it. We each had a rope made fast to our waists, 
with the other end fast to the raft, so that we might 
again recover it, in case we should be washed overboard. 

I determined to hold on as long as possible. We had 
rigged a small mast on what we called the forward part 
of the raft, to which our sail was attached; and I had 
concluded, as soon as I found my strength fast failing, 
to lash myself solidly to this, and there to die, with the 
hope that we might thereby be picked up by some pass¬ 
ing vessel, and the manner of our awful deaths made 
known to our friends. Indeed, such now was the dread¬ 
ful extremity to which we were reduced, that I had 
ceased to feel either hunger or thirst,—the sure prelude 
to a rapidly approaching dissolution ; and felt willing to 
die, if our friends could but get the news ; the very 
recollection of which sensations, even now, causes me 
to weep. 

Upon the larger end of our raft we had rigged a little 
seat, and upon this I sat down to sing that beautiful 
hymn of Charles Wesley’s, commencing — 

“ Oh how happy are they, 

Who their Saviour obey, 

And have laid up their treasures above ! 

Tongue can never express. 

The sweet comfort and peace, 

Of a soul in its earliest love.” 

How healthful and enlivening to the soul is sacred 
psalmody ! The singing of this hymn gave me unwonted 
tranquillity and cheerfulness. 

Said my companion to me, in the course of the night, 

“ I wish that I knew how to pray.” I informed him 
that the prayer of the penitent publican would be ac¬ 
ceptable to Him <c who looketh at the heart.” So he 
spent the remainder of this dreary night, in repeating 
this simple prayer, which I had taught him. I inces- ^ 


36 


santly exercised myself during the greater part of this 
night, to keep warm, but without success; whilst my 
companion sat motionless, and yet felt no cold. 

When the brig went down, the only thing we had to 
eat was a fine dog, which was upon the larger raft. 
About sunset, Hany proposed that we should go down 
to the large raft, which was then about an eighth of a 
mile to the leeward, and have the dog killed for food. 
It is somewhat surprising that this had not been done 
before. I being pleased with the proposal, we ran down 
to her ; and when within hail, Mr. Merry, the chief 
mate, asked me, if I intended to make fast to his raft. 
I informed him that I did not, being fearful, that if I 
should do so, too many from the other raft would jump 
upon it, and sink it; and upon further consideration I 
concluded to defer going alongside till the next morning, 
when I intended to have the dog killed, and to take our 
share of him. 

But when, after a most distressing and tedious night, 
the morning of the 26th broke upon us, the large raft 
was not to be seen. We had drifted faster than they, 
by reason of the wind taking more hold of us. The 
dog, however, was killed upon the large raft, and one 
half of him was eaten, before we were picked up ; and 
so sweet had they found this precious morsel, and espe¬ 
cially the blood, that, when picked up, they brought the 
other half on board the ship, in order to have it cooked ! 

About 7 o’clock, .this morning, we saw a brig coming 
down to us, as we hoped ; but we soon found that she 
was not. The “ water, water, water,” which we were 
to procure from her, and “ the good sleep ” afterwards, 
were fancies that vanished in a moment. We intently 
watched her, with aching hearts, till she finally went out 
of sight. This was the fourth vessel we had seen since 
our shipwreck; but hope, which seldom entirely deserts 
man, continued to cheer us with the thoughts of 
another vessel heaving in sight. The wind now went 
down, and the clouds clearing away, we spread out our 


37 


wet clothes beneath the warm sun to dry them. The 
clothes of those upon the large raft were wet during the 
whole time they were on it. This day was chiefly spent 
in attempts to procure a little sleep, but without suc¬ 
cess. It seemed as though sleep had been driven 
entirely away, by reason of our continual sufferings, and 
would never visit our weary eyelids more. 

Night again spread her sable mantle over us, and was 
spent in still greater suffering; for we were evidently 
fast failing. But few words were spoken during this 
dismal night. My throat and tongue were so dry and 
swollen, that I could speak but with great difficulty. 
When I spoke, my voice resembled the sound of a bugle. 

The condition of those upon the large raft, in some 
respects, was even worse, if possible, than our own. 
Mr. Mullen attempted to open a vein in one of his arms, 
in order to quench his intolerable thirst, with his own 
blood ; but the knife being so exceedingly dull of edge, 
as to make the operation very painful; he was induced 
to desist. Mr. Charles Dillingham, having given up all 
hopes of being saved, and being possessed with a most 
unconquerable horror of death by drowning, thought it 
preferable to attempt to bleed himself to death, which 
idea he was persuaded to relinquish, by his brother 
Peter, who earnestly exhorted him to hold out a while 
longer, with the hope of speedy succor. Mr. Dunham, 
the second mate, and Ilosea Goodspeed, not being 
aware of its pernicious effects, had attempted, before 
the brig went down from under us, to assuage their 
burning thirst with salt water. It operated upon both 
of them as a violent purge, and in Mr. Dunham also 
produced a delirium. In the course of the first night 
upon the raft, Mr. Goodspeed complained to a shipmate 
near him, of a pain in his bowels, and in a few minutes 
fell from his seat, and after making some ineffectual 
attempts to rise out of the water, which was continually 
washing over him, died in about a half an hour. He 
was a young man of but very few words. He seemed 


38 


to be impressed with the idea that the only hope of 
succor was by falling in with some land, and would 
therefore occasionally inquire, if we should not, proba¬ 
bly, soon fall in with Bermuda. But, alas, he was never 
again to see the land. He was from Hudson, N. Y. 
Before midnight, Mr. Dunham also fell from his seat in 
like manner; and while the sea washed over him, and 
he vainly attempted to rise, for a long time, in his deli¬ 
rium, he mournfully exclaimed, “ Oh my mother, my 
mother! ” until he also ceased to breathe. He was a 
native of the Vineyard, where he left one child, a son, 
and was about fifty years of age. None could render 
these unfortunate men any assistance, as all were so 
utterly exhausted, as to be scarcely able to support 
themselves. To add to the horrors of this gloomy night 
of sQffering and death, a shark, the most voracious of 
all things which inhabit the sea, several times passed 
over the raft, which was partially submerged, in a prob¬ 
able attempt to seize one of the men. Several attempted 
to kill him with a harpoon ; but as skilful as they were, 
with this instrument, no one had strength of arm suffi¬ 
cient to cause it to penetrate the flesh. 

Let our situation, at this time, be imagined. Twenty 
men are afloat in the broad Atlantic, upon a few broken 
pieces of spars and plank, held together by a few spikes, 
and frail cords, which are continually chafing away. 
They have had nothing to eat or drink, of which to 
make account, for six days and nights, and are now fast 
perishing with hunger and thirst. Two of their com¬ 
panions have already been washed into the sea, and two 
more, overcome by their incessant and long-continued 
sufferings, have just died before their eyes. The sea is 
foaming and tumbling around. Dolphins are leaping 
out of the water, as if to mock with their gambols, these 
dying men. Four times have their hopes of succor, by 
a sail in sight, been raised, and once, to the highest 
pitch ; and four times have they been dashed into the sea, 
causing their spirits to sink lower than ever. Visions of 


39 


home and friends occasionally flit across their mind, but 
are succeeded by feelings of almost blank despair, so 
that almost the only words they are now heard to utter, 
are, “O, my God ! my tongue! my tongue!” And ex¬ 
cept relief speedily comes, the ocean must soon swallow 
them all up, as it already has their fellows, of which 
they are all conscious,—most fully realizing that “ there 
is but a step between them and death.” 

The morning of the 27th, opened with fine, warm 
weather. We were not so entirely without hope, but 
that we constantly looked out for assistance, or so en¬ 
tirely without energy as to cease to make exertion to 
prolong life. There were a few fish swimming around 
us ; and as I had a spruce pole about eight feet long, 
that belonged to our sail, 1 sharpened one end of it, and 
cut some notches in it, in order, if it went through 
their flesh, to hold them ; and with this attempted to 
catch them; but their skins were so tough, that its 
point constantly turned against their sides, as the irons 
sometimes do against the sides of a whale. Mixed with 
the gulf weed, however, were a few r small crabs, about 
the size of a man’s finger nail ; and these I ate as well 
as I could. 




i 


40 


CHAPTER III. 

“ Man’s extremity is God’s opportunity.” We were 
not all doomed to perish. Succor was now at hand. 
About 8 o’clock this morning, Hany sung out, “Sail, ho!” 
Looking sharply in the direction he indicated with his 
finger, an object was indeed to be seen ; but it was at a 
great distance, and, as we soon ascertained, was going 
from us. Down went our heads again; and our despair 
grew deeper and more intense. Presently, Hany re¬ 
peated his cry of “ Sail, ho !” and surely enough, there 
was another sail coming right down upon us : but not¬ 
withstanding there was a. good breeze, her motion was 
very slow,—or at least so appeared to us, with whom 
every moment was now an age. I remarked to my 
shipmate, that I thought that it was some Dutch ship 
“ bobbing ” on the wind, perhaps bound for New 
Orleans, and according to the Dutch fashion, taking it 
“ fair and easy.” Suddenly the wind knocked her off 
about one point, and as she was about five or six miles 
from us, this would make quite a difference in her ap¬ 
proach to us. Fearing now that they would not be able 
to see us, we made sail to cut her off; and hope infusing 
new strength into us, we likewise attempted to assist 
our motion by paddling with our hands ; but our minds 
went faster than our crazy craft. We had to steer the 
raft, in order to keep it before the wind, and in which 
we took turns,—one steering, while the other paddled. 
Our intense anxiety, lest we should again be left as we 
had been before, now amounted to a mania, so that we 
incessantly scolded each other for not doing better, 
although each poor fellow did the best he could. We 
soon made her out to be a ship, under her topsails and 
courses, standing closely upon the wind. When she 


41 


got abreast of us, at the distance of about a mile, she 
set her colors at her mizzen-peak, shook the reef out of 
her main-topsail, set her main-topgaliant-sail, and stood 
on. Presently she tacked and lowered her boat. We 
now saw that she was a whale ship ; and soon her boat 
was coming down to us with the usual swiftness of a 
whale boat. In a few moments more we had left our 
frail craft, and were on board the boat, and soon along¬ 
side of that beautiful ship,—beautiful, not by reason of 
her build, finish or movements, but for the welcome 
succor she brought us. What a wonderful change was 
then in our feelings, in a few short minutes,—from the 
very verge of blank despair, to the height of extatic joy ! 
I felt quite smart, and wonderfully resolute all at once; 
became quite a man again, and refused water till we 
should be on board. 

No sooner were we on board, than they gathered 
around us to hear our sad story. The ship proved to be 
the Triton , Capt. Bowen, of Warren, R. I., from New 
Zealand, with 2000 barrels of right whale, 200 barrels 
of sperm oil, and 22,000 pounds of bone; last from 
Rio Grande, where she had been to recruit. Capt. 
Bowen belonged to Fair Haven. So we were almost 
neighbors. 

Capt. Bowen informed me, that he had felt an anxiety 
that morning, for which he could not account. He 
walked the deck in great disquietude of spirit, yet not 
knowing what troubled him ; and that when he first 
descried us, he supposed us to be deserters from some 
ship. Upon my informing him, that a larger raft, with 
the remainder of my men, could not be far distant, and 
requesting him to go in pursuit of them, he immediately 
consented to do so. The ship was at once hauled on 
the wind, and men were stationed aloft to look out for 
them. 

Capt. Bowen now advised me to take a little physic, 
but which I declined, fearing that it would make me 
weaker. Upon my calling for water, the steward pre- 


42 


\ 

sented me with a pitcher-full, of which I drank about 
three pints. But such was the extreme weakness of my 
stomach, that I soon threw it up. At dinner 1 eat only 
a small piece of bread, well soaked in water. Some gin 
and water was also offered me, but its very smell was 
offensive to me. 

Presently/we had the glad news below, that the look¬ 
out saw the large raft about eight miles to windward ; 
and by 4 o’clock in the afternoon we had them all on 
board. I told the captain that I would keep out of 
sight, in order to hear what kind of a story they would 
tell; and while Mr. Merry was informing him (standing 
by the cabin gangway) when and where he last saw 
me, to his utter astonishment I made my appearance 
from the cabin. The captain immediately allowanced 
the men for water; and it had been well had he done 
the same by me; for I injured myself with the too free 
use of it. Some supper was announced, and the warm 
tea did much to restore me; while the soft biscuit of 
the cook’s own baking, tasted most delicious. But 
my throat was so sore, that it was difficult for me to 
swallow. 

Never did a rescue come more opportunely than this. 
For myself, I could not have lived exceeding twenty-four 
hours more, at the longest. Two others could not have 
lived more than six hours ; while several could not stand ; 
and one was in a state of delirium. The lashings of the 
large raft were also fast chafing away, so that it could 
not have held together more than a day longer. 

How great were the contrasts which we had just ex¬ 
perienced. I think that our brig’s company met with 
two as great changes in the course of seven days, as 
men on land or water can,—from a vessel that has com¬ 
pleted her cruise, and is within a few days sail of home, 
to a complete wreck, and dependence for life upon a 
few frail spars and planks,—and again from these spars 
and planks, with death just ready to fall upon us, to 
a good, tight, well-manned ship, with enough to eat and 


43 


drink, good beds on which to repose our weary and 
aching limbs, and kind hearts to watch over us. We 
most heartily acknowledge the hand of God in our signal 
deliverance, and were exceedingly thankful for the same. 
I could but continually exclaim, “ O my God ! ” 

My appetite soon returned, and when it did, it was 
difficult to satisfy it, without injuring myself. During 
the first two days, my inclination to sleep was so great, 
that I slept almost incessantly. On the second day after 
our rescue, our faces and hands also swelled a great deal. 

After a passage of six days, during which fine and 
pleasant weather prevailed, and nothing occurred worthy 
of special narration, we arrived in Warren, on the 3d of 
November; thankful to God for all His mercies. Dur¬ 
ing the six days we were on board the Triton, every 
necessary attention, due to unfortunate and suffering 
men, was paid us: for which I would here publicly 
acknowledge our obligations to Capt. Bowen, and his 
officers and crew. 

At 6 o’clock the next day, I arrived in the. cars at 
New Bedford, and the day following took the steamboat 
for Holmes’ Hole, where I arrived to tell the tale of rny 
late terrible disaster, with my own lips. 

I found my wife and family well. But I have here a 
fresh leaf to add to the story of my loss. I owned one 
eighth of the brig, and supposed it insured, as it had 
been the voyage before. But I was mistaken. Not a 
cent was insured ; and my whole interest in the vessel, 
including my share of the oil, as master, was a total loss. 

All that I received for an outlay of $1000, twenty- 
seven months before, and of another $1000, fifteen 
months before, and my time for the whole period, was 
my share of the first voyage, consisting of ninety-three 
barrels of oil. My loss, in the twenty-seven months, 
was about $2300 of hard earnings. From Dr. Yale, 
Capt. Bartlett Allen, and “ a friend/’ of Holmes’ Hole, 
I received generous aid, and for which I here beg pub¬ 
licly to express my thanks. 


44 


I now am penniless. I put every thing I had afloat, 
hoping to receive it all back, with large profits, for my 
adventure, besides something considerable for my ‘May.” 
But I have lost it all; and with gray hairs, and a shat¬ 
tered constitution, I am now compelled to commence 
life upon the land, anew. And now, being no longer 
able to follow the seas, I am trying to turn-even my 
bitter misfortunes to some account, by the sale of this 
“ Narrative.” 




APPENDIX. 


I havk been engaged twenty-two years, man and boy, in the 
Whale Fishery. I commenced at the age of nineteen, after having 
sailed four years in the merchant service. My first voyage was from 
New Bedford, in a small brig,—a “ cranberry-pudding voyage,”—as 
an Atlantic Ocean voyage is termed by the sailors. These are of 
shorter duration than other whaling voyages ; but their shortness is 
their chief recommendation; and they are made at comparatively small 
expense. After making two of these voyages, I went to the False 
Bank, in the ship Com. Rogers, for right whales. We filled the ship, 
and returned to port, in eight and a half months. Whales were then 
more plenty, and also more easily taken than they are now. A ship 
was then filled in less than a year ; while it now takes from two to 
four years for that purpose. It is a late thing even for ships to go 
further than the “ Tristan ground ” for right whales. But now they 
find the best ground on the Northwest coast of South America, and 
South of New Zealand, and sometimes sail round the world in the per¬ 
formance of a voyage. The longer, or the Pacific voyages, are the 
most profitable, they being surer than the short, or Atlantic voyages. 
But they require a corresponding outlay. 

In whale ships of the same size, the number of men varies but little. 
Six men are always appointed to a boat, one of whom is “ the boat- 
steerer.” The number of men appointed to keep the ship, while the 
boats are out, depends on the size of the vessel. Thus, a ship of 300 
tons, carrying from 23 to 2700 barrels, requires about five men, which, 
with three boats’ crews, amount to twenty-three men and boys. A 
larger ship, carrying four boats, requires from thirty to thirty-two 
men. The largest ships in this business are out of New London, Conn., 
some of which are from 5 to 600 tons. Twenty-five years ago, few 
ships carried more than two boats’ crews. Whales were then so 
plenty, and so easily taken, that a ship with but two boats, could go 
to the Pacific, and return deeply laden with oil, in from eighteen to 
twenty-two months. It is reported of a very fortunate and enterpris¬ 
ing whaling captain of Nantucket, that in sixty months, including the 
period he lay at home, fitting, he made three voyages to the Pacific, 
and filled his ship each lime,—in all 6000 barrels of sperm oil. Once 
he lay becalmed thirty days, during which time he took and stowed 
away 1000 barrels. . 




46 


There have been most important alterations, of late years, in the 
mode of fitting out ships. A ship with a crew of twenty-four men, 
destined for a voyage of three years, will take 200 bbls. of meats ; 
200 bbls. offlour, baked and unbaked ; 1200 galls, of molasses ; 1000 
lbs. of coffee ; 500 lbs. of tea; 500 lbs. of sugar; besides large quantities 
of rice, peas, beans, cod-fish, and other articles. I may safely say, 
that it now costs twice as much to fit a ship, as it did twenty-five 
years ago. Formerly, they also recruited with much greater care, and 
at less expense than they now do. Terrapins were then abundant at 
the Gallipagos Islands ; and all kinds of fresh provisions were plenty 
and cheap. Provisions can now be obtained at any place of note, either 
at the islands or on the main ; but not so cheap as formerly. An in¬ 
creased demand has raised the market. As oil was worth quite as 
much twenty-five years ago, as it now is, it is apparent that the profits 
of the business are now far less than they were then. Whales are 
not only less numerous, but also much shyer than formerly, which 
greatly enhances the expense and danger of their capture. Hence 
thosewho pursue them must be more expert and daring, or a voyage 
will be easily lost. Ships have sometimes been cut off, and parts of 
their crews murdered, by the natives of the isles of the Pacific, who 
tire called “Kunackers,” by the sailors. But this never occurs where 
there are missionaries stationed. These humble men are a greater 
protection to our commerce in the Pacific, than our whole navy would 
be. But we have to pay something for this protection, however, as 
the natives under their care are more intelligent than others ; they 
know the value of property, and will not sell, but for its actual 
worth ; while articles can sometimes be obtained from those in a 
savage state, when we dare trade with them, for a few trinkets or 
other trifles. 

The North Atlantic and the Greenland Seas were the principal 
whaling grounds of both the Americans and Europeans, previous to 
our revolutionary war. But now whales have almost entirely disap¬ 
peared from those seas, so that they are wholly forsaken by the Amer¬ 
icans, and mostly by others also. The whale fishery of Great Britain 
is almost ruined. The town of Hull, in Yorkshire, which formerly 
owned upwards of seventy sail of whalemen,—as many as Nantucket 
or New London now owns, has now but four left,—while the whole 
nation have now but forty-four sail engaged in this business. The 
whale-fishery of Holland, which was once quite considerable, when 
the fish were taken in the Northern Seas, is now about annihilated. 
The Dutch now mostly import their oil from the United States. 

France and Prussia have a few whalemen ; but the business is now 
mostly in the hands of that small fraction of the people of the United 
States, who reside upon that portion of our northern sea-board, which 
lies between Salem, Mass., and Long Island,—a small part of four 
States. These have 687 sail engaged therein, mostly ships, manned 
by nearly 20,000 men. Of these, New Bedford has 254 sail ; Fair- 
haven, 62; Nantucket, 71; New London, 73; the Vineyard, 11; the 
Cape, 22; Rhode Island, all together, 35, of which Warren alone has 
21; Long Island, 77 sail, of which Sag Harbor has 57. The produce 


47 


of this fishery to Massachusetts alone, last year, amounted to the sum 
of about $ 10,000,000. That of other places probably produced in as 
large a proportion ; from which the immense importance of this single 
branch of business may be seen. 

I will now describe the most stirring event in the life of a whale¬ 
man,—the chase and capture of his mighty prey,—“the Leviathan” 
of the deep. 

In the first place, while the ship is on whaling ground, men—* 
generally three—are stationed aloft to look out for the whales ; one on 
the fore-top-gallant cross-trees ; one on the main-top-gallant cross- 
trees ; and one on the fore-top-gallant yard. One of them is usually 
supplied with a good spy-glass. All the lime they are anxiously scan¬ 
ning the horizon. The man who first discovers the spout, or breach, 
cries out, from aloft,— 

“ There she breaches ! ** 

The officer commanding the deck, at the time, inquires in a loud 
voice, “ Where away ? ” 

“ Two points off the lee-bow,” answers the look-out. 

V How fur off?” again inquires the officer. 

“ About six miles, Sir,” is the reply. 

“ Put your helm up,” says the officer to the man at the helm. 
“ Square the yards—well the main-yard—loose the fore-top-gallant 
sail—keep a sharp look-out aloft, there ! ” 

“ Aye, aye, Sir ! ” answers the man spoken to. 

“ Keep her straight,” now cries the officer to the man at the wheel. 

“There she breaches ! ” repeats the look-out from the top. 

“ Where now ? ” 

“ Right ahead.” 

“ Do we near them ? ” 

“ Yes, Sir, we near them fast. There she blows ! there she blows ! 
sperm whales lying like logs upon the water.” 

“ Down from aloft there !” cries the master. “ Haul up the main¬ 
sail—haul back the main-topsail—in lines.” 

“ There she blows,” again repeats the look-out. “ There is a 
large whale in the school ; I see one that makes a large spout.” 

“ We’ll try to get that fellow,” says the master. 

“ All ready; shall I lower, Sir ? ” cries the mate. 

“ Lower away, as quickly as possible,” says the master; and lower 
they do. 

“ Shove astern as quickly ns possible, and down to your oars,” 
says the officer of the boat. The men spring to their oars, and the 
boat moves with great velocity. 

“ Now, Dick, bear ahand with your craft, and down to your oar. 
Now spring, all of you, spring. There are a hundred barrels of oil in 
one carcass, yonder. Spring, might and main. A bottle without rum, 
ten pounds of tobacco, and a cap for aunt Jenny into the bargain,—> 
and if she spouts twice more, she is ours.” 

They have now neared the whale, and are at the proper distance. 


48 


“Stand up* Dick,” says the master to the harpooner. Dick obeys 
the call ; and the boat is guided by the skilful steersman up to the 
whale’s hump. Dick now darts his harpoon into the whale—“ to 
fasten ,’’ is the technical term. The barbs of the harpoon are like 
those of an arrow—having penetrated the flesh, they cannot easily be 
drawn out. “Stern all,” shouts the officer of the boat; which the 
men do with a most hearty good will, experience having shown them, 
that the whale will sometimes cut dangerous freaks with her jaw and 
flukes. The “stern all,” which signifies to pull the boat clear of the 
whale, stern first, is instantly followed by a return to the attack ; and 
now the officer goes into the head of the boat with his lance, and “ the 
boat-steerer,” or harpooner, takes his place in the stern. Sometimes 
a single thrust of the lance will immediately despatch her, so that she 
will not run a rod. At other times she will run for hours, even for a 
whole day, dragging the boat after her with immense swiftness. 
Sometimes the irons draw, or the line parts, or they are compelled, 
by the approach of night, to sever it, and she is lost. Sometimes, 
also, she turns upon her pursuers, with great rage, throwing the boat 
into the air as though it were a feather, or snapping it in pieces with 
her mighty jaws, as a dog would a chip, and in which the men are 
sometimes killed. But it is a singular fact, that when a man is in the 
water a whale will not touch him. Probably he is too small an object 
to attract her attention. The boat only, as the supposed enemy, is 
made the object of attack. A man may be swimming in a school of 
whales, and be thrust against their huge sides, and they will take no 
notice of him. Finally, if the whale is killed, she is taken alongside, 
and if she is a very large one, in great triumph. 

The sensations of those who approach a whale for the first time, 
are not very agreeable ; and sometimes, was not a “green hand’’ 
more afraid of the officer of the boat, than of the whale, nothing could 
be done ; for a whale fifty to a hundred feet long, is a truly formidable 
looking opponent. It is not easy to laugh at such a foe ; and 
invincible fearlessness, as well as great dexterity, are indispensable 
to success. 

The first time that I was ever alongside of a whale, was in the year 
1819. She was of the sperm species, about seventy feet long, and 
very vicious. She had been playing antics with Capt. Covell, of the 
brig President, of New Bedford, having just taken out all three of his 
lines, with the exception of about forty fathoms. There she lay, 
lashing her tail with rage, opening her monstrous jaws, which were 
full twenty feet long, and then again snapping them together with a 
terrific noise. You could scarcely hear your own voice for the confu¬ 
sion. The two captains now agreed to partnerships, so far as this 
whale went; and we approached for the fearful attack. In the boats, 
it was “pull ahead—pull ahead! stern all—stern all ! lay this way— 
lay that way— why don’t you lay me on ! ’’ Finally, the deadly strife 
terminated by killing her, and taking possession. 

The killing of a right whale does not differ materially from the killing 
of a sperm whale; but the former has some habits which the latter has 
not. The sperm whale never makes a noise. The right whale is 


i 







. 











































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































51 


rery noisy, sometimes bellowing like a bull, when you get fast to 
them. During the night, when it is calm, they will sometimes make a 
noise resembling the ringing of a brass kettle. The right whale is 
also a more nimble fish than the sperm. The mouth of the right whale 
is furnished with the “whalebone;” while the jaws of the sperm 
whale are furnished with immense teeth. The sperm whale is some¬ 
times destructive even to ships. The ships Essex, of Nantucket, and 
the Two Generals, of Charleston, S. C., were both stove by them. 
There is also a very large species of whale called the “ fin-back ”; 
but which is rarely if ever taken, as they move with such immense 
velocity, that no boat could approach them if they were aware of it ; 
and if struck by surprise, a boat could not hold on to them for a 
moment. 


I will now describe the manner in which a sperm whale is disposed 
of, after she is taken alongside. 

The first things to be done, are to furl the mainsail, and to hoist up 
the boats on the cranes, and then to set the winding tackles. As the 
purchase is a strong one, the blocks, which are called “cutting blocks,” 
are very large, being from fifteen to eighteen inches in size; while the 
“cutting falls,” or ropes reeved through them, are about four inches. 
The lower blocks have straps about four feet long, and on each of these 
straps there is a large hook weighing from eighty to one hundred 
pounds, called “ blubber hooks.” The winding tackles being ready, 
the captain, with a spade, cuts a hole in the blubber, to receive the 
hook, and then calls out to the men, who are ready to heave at the 
windlass, “ Hoist away, there ! bring to, and heave !—so ! avast 
heaving there !” During this time, all are busy at work ; some cutting 
off the “junk ;” others heaving at the windlass, and others “ breaking 
out ” the blubber-room, in order to fill it with blubber. The “junk” 
is cut off separately, and is hoisted in whole, (see Cut on opposite p.) 
These pieces of junk, just cut off, are called “ blanket pieces.” If the 
whale is not large, the “case,” or head is hoisted in entire. The 
The contents of the case is called “head matter,” and is the most 
valuable part of the fish. Some heads yield over 20 barrels, or 600 
gallons of this rich matter, and which may be worth $500. In ap¬ 
pearance and color it resembles the core of a ripe water-melon. 

The blubber being now stowed away in the blubber-room, or on 
deck, the “ trying out” commences. Two large kettles, containing 
from 80 to 140 gallons each, set in a furnace on deck, are used for this 
purpose. Alongside the furnace is placed a large copper receiver, 
called “a cooler,” into which the oil is dipped from the kettles, in 
order to cool, and from which it is removed to the casks in the hold, 
by means of a leather hose. This process is continued night and day, 
till it is finished ; during which the ship is filled with smoke, and the 
hands covered with grease and dirt ; and if the highly improper prac¬ 
tice is allowed on board the vessel, they are often in very heavy 
arrearages for sundry oaths and imprecations. At night the flames 
light up tho ship, making the darkness visible, and night hideous. 


t 


Whiie the oil is trying out, as it is now as sweet as lard, that important 
official, the cook, usually avails himself of the opportunity to fry a 
large quantity of “ dough nuts,” with which to regale the crew after 
their severe trial. 

While the “trying out” is going on, two hands are employed at 
the cutting tubs, in mincing. The knife used for this purpose is about 
two feet long. The blubber is laid on what is called a “ mincing 
horse,” and is cut into pieces about eighteen inches long and six inches 
wide, which are called “ horse pieces.” Much care must be used in 
this process. The oil may not be sufficiently tried, or it may be tried 
too much ; as is the case with hog’s lard. Much care must also be 
used to see that the casks in which the oil is stowed, are in a proper 
state. Oil is sometimes essentially injured in quality, through care¬ 
lessness in the preparation of the casks. The sediment deposited in 
water casks, if not cleansed out before the oil is put in, w T ill injure it 
to the amount of five cents per gallon. 

The right whale is much larger than the sperm. The largest sperm 
whale ever known to have been taken, made a hundred and thirty bar¬ 
rels of oil. The right whale, however, has been known to afford as 
high as two hundred and fifty barrels. Four of such fish would fill a 
small brig. 

“ A system of signals,” necessarily obtains on board of whale ships. 
I here subjoin that which I adopted for my own use :— 

Whales ahead. Down jib. 

“ astern'. Haul up the spanker. 

“ between the ship and boats. Flag half-mast. 

“ 07i the weather bow. Haul up the weather-clue of the 

foresail. 

“ on the lee bow. Lee clewr of the foresail. 

More whales and a better chance. Flags on the fore-top-gallant 
mast-head, and peak of the spanker. 

Whales on the weather-beam. Mizen topsail aback. 

“ on the lee beam. Keep the ship off, and luff her up again. 

“ too near to keep off. Signal to come on board. This signal 
is made by standing on the top-gallant yards, and holding the flags in 
your hands. 


THI END. 













































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